Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Conferences are approaching. That's nothing new. There are several
big conferences a year that writers go to. Either to learn more about
their craft, to help others, or meet and inter act with readers. The
weeks leading up to a conference is generally chaotic for writers. Aside
from their regular commitments, they also need to make sure they have
any and all books and promo material together that they'll need. And
that it is the right promo for them and for the conference. When you're
organizing a conference of any size, you effectively are taking on
another full time job. Talk about chaos. I'm sure many events meet
themselves coming and going.

The publishing industry as
a whole, is really not that big. When you look at e-publishing, it's
even smaller. Or maybe not truly smaller, but tighter knit. I don't know
if authors from the traditional New York houses get that same feeling
or not. Writing is a very solitary occupation, and it can be hard to
connect with people. Writing e-books, means there can be less
opportunities for booksignings, after all the bookstores can't order
them and stack them in a pretty display, but the flip side of that is
that as we talk to each other. On Facebook. On Twitter. And on E-mail
loops. Short conversations or word count accountability messages become
conversations that become friendships. Then we get to go conferences and
meet those people and friendships deepen.

I'm heading for GayRomLit
in Albuquerque, NM to spend a week with old friends and new ones and to
remember those that we lost this year. In the days leading up to GRL
there are more and more emails that say things like "I'm useless at
work, is time to go yet?". It is an event that readers and authors alike
look forward too. Earlier this year I received a heart-wrenching email
from one of my publishers titled "A Death in the Family", informing me
of the unexpected death of William Neale,
a friend and fellow author. Writers and readers alike, we've become a
close knit community. We mourn the loss of friends and family, cheer for
successes and good news, send thoughts and prayers and words of
encouragement to those in need. And when we're lucky enough to meet them
in person and again, it's like coming home. Those emails have led to
friendships, to families of friends.

To Old Friends and New....I can't wait to see everyone in Albuquerque!